Portable ankle range of motion rehabilitation device

ABSTRACT

Rehabilitation of the ankle takes time and dedication to a prescribed therapeutic recovery plan. Consistent and routine stretching followed by strength training of the ankle, a person can achieve the requirements of prescribed therapy. By having the ability to exercise throughout the day in various settings and environments with the use of a portable rehabilitation device is optimum for maintaining the schedule and possibility for success of the therapy.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

A difficulty with rehabilitation of an ankle, foot and leg is being able to exercise the joints at frequent times throughout the day while using portable therapy equipment. Often rehabilitation happens in an office staffed with a Physical Therapist to coach a person during the rehabilitation process using complex cumbersome equipment to focus on the joint. Visits to the office are generally one hour long and are scheduled every other week. Without the specific equipment and frequent applications of exercise, one looses the limberness and gains from the visit. Some devices for exercising the ankle are known, they are not easily portable, nor do they allow the ability to exceed the average range of motion for the ankle. U.S. Classifications 482/80, 79, 117, 118, 121, 128 Field of Search 482/79, 602/65, 601/32, 27, 23, D29/121.2

U.S. Patent Document 4337939 July, 1982 Hoyle et al. 482/79 4653748 March, 1987 Seel/Gray 482/79 4199137 April, 1980 Giguere 482/79 6283897 September, 2001 Patton 482/80 6277057 August, 2001 Hayden 482/79 4186920 February, 1980 Fiore, et al. 482/79 6206807 March, 2001 Cowans, et al. 482/79 6758825 July, 2004 Mathew 482/80 6740011 May, 2004 Tsai, et al. 482/80 6761666 July, 2004 Chou 482/80 6730005 May, 2004 Liao 482/80

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

I wanted to provide a portable ankle range of motion device that allows a person to frequently focus on rehabilitating the ankle in everyday settings. The object of the invention allows the ankle, foot, muscles and tendons to be stretched when one is sitting in a chair relaxing, riding in a car or working at a desk. The device is constructed using a rubber foot to support and resist the shoe and is mechanically connected to a rotating metal joint that is supported by a base to sit and dorsiflexion. Specifically, the metal joint rotates angularly without restriction firmly on the floor. The object of the invention, using the metal joint allows the shoe pad to rotate through the desired ankle flexion of inversion, eversion, plantar between two of the ankle flexions with resistance from the rubber pad and nylon washer.

PRIOR ART

U.S. Pat. No. 4,186,920, to Fiore/Fiore 1980 shows a device to exercise the ankle from a mechanical means in every flexion. The device provides variable resistance that must be adjusted in order to calibrate the distance to the ball of the foot. The patient first must be trained to understand and obtain the correct torque settings before its use. It does not allow a patient to use the device outside of an office setting or away from a therapist's direction because of required calibration and having the shoe secured to the platform. The invention limits the angle of flexion for the ankle. This limitation does not allow complete stretching of the muscle and tendons. Nor does it allow for conditioning the nerves to gain biomechanical control of the foot. Furthermore, it does not allow for a convenient point of use.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,653,748 to Seel/Gray in 1987 suggests an ankle platform device to rehabilitate the ankle from a mechanical means in every flexion. The foot is placed on a platform with a hemispherical element connected to the underneath side of the platform; the element defines the angle of flexion for the ankle. The design implements an average flexion of the ankle for rehabilitation. It does not allow for the patient to reach the upper end of range of motion to stretch the muscles, tendons and allow for nerves to be reprogrammed in the ankle. The device is not easy to use outside of the therapist's office; the patient has to stand on one leg grasping parallel balance rails to hold onto and the use of special weights to gain resistance.

DESCRIPTION OF VIEWS

FIG. 1 is the natural embodiment of the device in use.

FIG. 2 is the side view with all of the components connected.

FIG. 3 is the threaded male element of the metal joint.

FIG. 4 is a retaining clip to allow for maximum flexion of the ankle.

FIG. 5 is a retaining clip to control for minimal flexion.

FIG. 6 is a bored and threaded female connection of the metal joint.

FIG. 7 is the rubber shoe support, logarithmic resistive washer, base and bolt.

FIG. 8 is the side view showing plantar and dorsiflexion mobility of the ankle.

FIG. 10 is the rear view showing eversion and inversion mobility of the ankle.

DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

The objectives of my invention are of portability, ease of use, and the patient's desire to exercise frequently as a result of convenience of the device. FIG. 1 shows a person sitting comfortably on a chair without the aid of a therapist. In this position, the device allows the patient to focus on other activities not just the physical therapy of the ankle. The device shown in FIG. 2 will fit in one hand, is lightweight, and can easily be stowed into a small carrying bag. By removing the nylon retaining washers in FIG. 4 or FIG. 5, the patient can break it down to even a lower profile for stowing.

The object of the invention allows the patient to reach the maximum flexion. FIG. 8 shows the maximum plantar and dorsiflexion of the ankle. FIG. 10 shows the maximum inversion and eversion of the ankle. In my invention there are no restrictions of the device for plantar-eversion, plantar-inversion, dorsiflexion-eversion, dorsiflexion-inversion. All of the fulcrum angles are greater than the maximum of a normal ankle flexion. This means that a patient is able to reach the average ankle flexion with moderate resistance by using the nylon retaining clip in FIG. 5 without having to pursue the angle past the point of initial pain.

As the patient continues frequent work on slowly increasing the ankle flexion, the ankle mobility becomes greater and more limber. As the mobility increases, the rubber shoe support will resist and cause the muscle in the ankle, foot and leg to gain strength and nerve control of the foot. Maximum flexion can be reached with the nylon retaining ring in FIG. 4, allowing for up to eighty degrees of flexion. This is greater than any normal ankle range of motion.

FIG. 2, 21 molded rubber footpad supports the downward pressure of the shoe. It is connected to 22, metal flexible ball joint being supported by the base 23. Feature 24 is beveled to allow for the foot to reach a maximum flexion of the ankle so as not to interfere with the shoe in plantar and dorsiflexion position.

Additional resistance can be obtained by adding a larger stiffer nylon washer in FIG. 7, 40. This adds a logarithmic resistance to the rubber shoe pad on the threaded stud in FIG. 3, 27.

FIG. 2, 22 is composed of multiple components shown in FIG. 3, FIG. 4, FIG. 5 and FIG. 6. FIG. 6 bored and threaded female member and FIG. 3 threaded male member and FIGS. 4 and/or 5 are retaining clips to construct the component. FIG. 3 threaded male member with a spherical element 25 connected to hexagonal support 26 and threaded stud 27. FIG. 6 bored and threaded female member 30, and 33 is the cavity for 25, 32 supports the spherical element 25, and 31 guide for the retaining rings 28 and or 29. 30 is bored and threaded and connected to the base.

FIG. 7 shows the remaining components without the metal joint. Rubber shoe support 21, logarithmic resistive nylon washer 40, base 23 with 34 base hole and 41 threaded hex bolt.

FIG. 8 shows the side view with the level-resting plane 35 of the patient's shoe being supported on the device. 36 is the direction for plantar and 37 dorsiflexion. FIG. 10 shows the rear view with the level-resting plane 35, 38 indicate the ankle inversion 39 indicate the ankle eversion. 

1. The invention will rehabilitate the ankle, build up foot and leg muscle and reprogram the nerves in the foot to regain mechanical control of the foot.
 2. The invention as defined in claim 1 will allow for maximum flexion of the ankle with retaining ring in FIG.
 4. 3. The invention in claim 2, will rotate through all angular planes and reach eighty degrees in all ankle flexions given individual stretch capacity against the resistive rubber shoe support.
 4. (canceled)
 5. The invention as defined in claim 1, will limit the flexion of the ankle with retaining ring in FIG.
 5. 6. The invention in claim 4, will limit the ankle to the normal averages of ankle flexion.
 7. (canceled)
 8. (canceled)
 9. The invention will provide resistance from the rubber shoe support with additional logarithmic resistance from the nylon washer in FIG.
 7. 10. (canceled)
 11. (canceled)
 12. (canceled)
 13. The nylon washer in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 are interchangeable. 